Manufacture of shoes



Dec. 8, 1936. G. H. NICHOLS MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed March 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1936. G. H. NICHOLS MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed March 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE United Shoe Machinery Corporation,

Paterson,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 26, 1935, Serial No. 13,079

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated herein in connection with the manufacture of a flexible shoe having a skeleton insole of the general type 5 disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,988,281, granted January 15, 1935, on an application filed in the name of Fred Maccarone.

It is an object of my invention to facilitate the manufacture of flexible shoes of the skeleton insole type. As herein disclosed, a skeleton insole (that is an insole the forepart of which consists merely of a rand-like member extending peripherally of the insole so that the forepart of the insole is provided with a large hole or opening at its central portion) is formed preferably, though not necessarily, by splitting it and an outsole from a single blank. A lip formed from a strip of material, extending typically either from about the heel breast line to the tip line at each side of the insole or from the heel breast line forwardly about the toe and rearwardly to the heel breast line at the other side of the shoe, is stitched to the body of the insole and preferably a sheet of reinforcing material, conforming in general to the outline of the opening in the forepart of the skeleton insole but larger than the opening, is secured to the insole by the strip attaching stitches. This insole is well adapted for use in the manufacture of Goodyear welt shoes and also for use in the manufacture of other types of shoes in which the .upper is secured either permanently or temporarily to the lip of an insole, for example in the manufacture of shoes in accordance with the method of Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,932,545, granted October 31, 1933, on an appli cation filed in the name of George Goddu.

In its various aspects my invention includes a novel insole as well as improvements in shoe manufacturing methods.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an insole and an outsole split from a single blank or bearing the same relation to each other that they would if split from a single blank;

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate two different completed insoles embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a lasted shoe made with the insole of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the shoe of Fig. 4 substantially ready for the attachment of its outsole;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the forepart of the shoe of Fig. 5 after its outsole has been cement attached but before the last has been removed; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view through a completed shoe, the outsole having been attached by through-and-through stitching.

While substantial variation may be made in the details of the manufacture of shoes in accordance with my invention, I prefer to split the insole and outsole from a single blank, thus providing an outsole 8 and a skeleton insole ID the forepart of which comprises a rand-like member I l surrounding an opening I2 in its forepart. The inner edge of the member H is beveled, as illustrated at I 4 in Fig. 1, and the marginal portion of the forepart of the outsole 8 is correspondingly beveled, as illustrated at I8, thus providing an elevated portion 20 at the central portion of the forepart of the outsole of the full thickness of the original blank. The area of the insole l0 may be reduced, particularly at the forepart and heel seat, and material may be removed from the beveled portion of the insole or outsole, or both, to provide space for the thickness of the upper materials, in .25 accordance with known shoemaking practice into which it is not necessary to go in detail since it forms no part of the present invention. Furthermore, the thickness of the marginal portion of the outsole 8, both at the forepart and more particularly at the shank, may be reduced, as is usual for style purposes, and the shank portion of the insole may be reinforced in any desired manner, as indicated, for example, at 22 in Fig. 3.

After the skeleton insole has been prepared, a sheet of reinforcing material 24, consisting, for example, of cloth or strong paper, is positioned to cover and toextend somewhat beyond the margins of the opening [2 in the forepartof the insole and a strip of material, indicated at 26 in 40 Fig. 2 and at 21 in Fig. 3, is stitched to the insole at a distance from the edge of the insole appropriate to form a lip to which a shoe upper may be lasted. The stitches by which this lip is seecured pass not only through the body of the in- 5 sole but also through the marginal portions of the reinforcing material 24, .serving to hold the latter securely to the body of the insole during all, or at least the greater portion, of the manufacture of the shoe. As a matter of convenience the sheet 24 may be secured to the body of the insole temporarily by adhesive prior to the stitching operation, although this is not essential.

As shown in Fig. 2, the stitching indicated at 28 by which the strip 26 is secured to the insole It extends close to the outer edge of that strip which, as previously noted, extends not only along the sides of the insole but also about the toe. In Fig. 3, on the other hand, the stitching which is indicated at 30 extends down the middle of the strip which is coated with adhesive either before or after the stitching and is then bent away from the body of the insole at both sides of the stitching and the cemented surfaces caused to adhere, thus forming a lip consisting of two plies of material. As illustrated in Fig. 3, this lip extends only from the region of the heel breast line forward approximately to the tip line since it is intended that in the use of this insole the upper at the extreme toe portion of the shoe will be lasted flat against the body of the insole rather than to the lip, as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 4.

The insole prepared, for example, as shown in Fig. 2 or in Fig. 3 is secured temporarily to the bottom of a last 32 in well-known fashion and a shoe upper 34 is assembled on the last, pulled over, and worked into lasted relation to the insole and last in any usual or preferred manner.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, themarginal portion of the insole at the sides of the shoe is secured to the lip 21 by staples 36. This operation may conveniently be performed by a staple side lasting machine of the character disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,7 96,451, granted March 17, 1931, on an application filed in the name of George Goddu. While the manufacture of the shoe may be completed in accordance with usual Goodyear welt manufacturing methods, as herein disclosed the marginal portions of the upper 34 and of the skeleton forepart ll of the insole [0 are treated with water-dispersed rubber cement, commonly spoken of as latex adhesive, causing the area of the upper and insole between the lip 21 and the edge of the insole, indicated at 38 in Fig. 4, to adhere to each other so that the portions of the upper and the insole lip 21 containing the staples 36 can be trimmed off, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The toe and the heel seat portion of the shoe may be lasted in any desired fashion. As herein illustrated, the heel seat portion is lasted with tacks 40 (see Fig. 5) and the forepart is lasted with a suitable adhesive (latex, pyroxyiin, or other cement) indicated at 42 in Fig. 4, the upper being held in lasted position by partially driven tacks 44 which are removed after the adhesive has set.

After the lasting has been completed, the marginal portion of the upper is trimmed substantially at the apex of the angle indicated at 46 in Fig. 4, the trimming cut serving also to sever the stitches by which the lip 21 (or 2B) is secured to the body of the insole. After this trimming operation the shoe will be in the condition shown in Fig. 5, except that the metal shank stiffener 48 may not yet have been positioned upon and secured to the shoe bottom. Note in this figure the fragments of thread indicated at 50 remaining after the trimming operation.

If the outsole is to be cement attached, the overlasted marginal portion of the upper, indicated at 52, will be roughed and the attachment of the outsole 8 (Fig. 6) proceeded with in known fashion. After the sole attaching cement has set, the shoe maybe finished in accordance with usual practice, the last 32 pulled and the sheet of reinforcing material 24 removed. If, on the other hand, the outsole is to be attached by through-and-through stitching, the outso e 8 i laid, preferably being secured temporarily to the shoe bottom by rubber cement, the last 32 is pulled, and the temporary reinforcing member 24 removed. Through-and-through stitching 56, which may be either a lockstitch or a chain-stitch seam, is inserted as indicated in Fig. '7 and the shoe finished in any usual or preferred manner.

' It sho uld be understood that the practice of the method of my invention is not limited to the details herein described and illustrated. Obviously, it is susceptible of other variations within the skill of an experienced shoe manufacturer.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart and a lip comprising a strip of material stitched to the outer surface of the insole and extending substantially parallel to the edge of the insole between said edge and the edge of said opening.

2. A skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart, and a lip comprising a strip of material stitched to the outer surface of the insole and extending substantially parallel to the edge of the insole from the neighborhood of the heel breast line forward at least approximately to the tip line.

3. A skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart, a strip of material stitched to the outer surface of the insole extending substantially parallel to the edge of the insole from the neighborhood of the heel breast line forward at least approximately to the tip line, and a temporary reinforcing member on the opposite side of the insole covering the opening in the insole and secured to the insole by the same stitching that holds said strip.

4. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises securing a strip of material to one of the surfaces of a skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart by stitching extendingsubstantially parallel to the edge of the insole thereby providing a lip against which the upper of a shoe may be lasted, securing a reinforcing member to the opposite surface of the insole in a position to cover the opening in the insole, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to the lip, and thereafter attaching an outsole to the shoe bottom.

5. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises securing a strip of material to one of the surfaces of a skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart by stitching extending substantially parallel to the edge of the insole thereby providing a lip against which the upper of a shoe may be lasted, securing a temporary reinforcing member to the opposite surface of the insole in a position to cover the opening in the insole, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to the lip, attaching an outsole to the shoe bottom, and removing the reinforcing member.

6. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises securing a strip of material to one of the surfaces of a skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart by stitching extending substantially parallel to the edge of the insole thereby forming a lip against which the upper of a shoe may be lasted and by the same stitching securing to the opposite surface of the insole a reinforcing member which covers the opening in the insole and extends a substantial distance beyond the edge of the opening, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to said lip, and attaching an outsole to the shoe bottom.

'7. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises splitting an insole and an outsole from a sole blank by a out which at the forepart intersects the edge of the sole blank between its opposite surfaces and which is inclined so as to emerge at the inner surface of the forepart of the sole blank at a distance from the edge thereof somewhat greater than the width of the normal lasting allowance of a shoe upper thereby forming an outsole and a skeleton insole with an opening in its forepart, securing a strip of material to one of the surfaces of the insole by stitching extending substantially parallel to the edge of the insole thereby forming a lip against which the upper of a shoe may be lasted and by the same stitching securing to the opposite surface of the insole a temporary reinforcing member which covers the opening in the insole and extends a substantial distance beyond the edge of the opening, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to said lip, attaching the outsole to the shoe bottom, and removing the reinforcing memher.

8. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises stitching a strip of material to the outer surface of a skeleton insole having an opening in its forepart by a seam extending peripherally of the insole, the strip of material being stitched to the outer surface of the insole at such a distance from its edge as to provide a lip against which the upper of a shoe may be lasted, and by the same stitching securing to the opposite surface of the insole a temporary reinforcing member which covers the opening in the insole and extends a substantial distance beyond the edge of the opening, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to the portion of the insole outwardly of the lip with adhesive and to the lip with fastenings which will hold the upper in lasted relation while the cement sets, thereafter trimming off the lip and the marginal portion of the upper by a cut which severs the stitches by which the lip and the reinforcing material are secured to the insole, attaching the outsole to the shoe bottom, and removing the reinforcing member.

9. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises splitting an insole and an outsole from a sole blank by a out which at the forepart intersects the edge of the sole blank between its opposite surfaces and which is inclined so as to emerge at the inner surface of the forepart of the sole blank at a distance from the edge thereof greater than the width of the normal lasting allowance of a shoe upper thereby forming an outsole and a skeleton insole with an opening in its forepart, stitching a strip of material to the outer surface of the skeleton insole by a seam extending peripherally of the insole, the strip of material being stitched to the outer surface of the insole at such a distance from its edge as to provide a lip against which the upperof a shoe may be lasted, securing to the opposite surface of the insole a temporary reinforcing member which covers the opening in the insole and extends a substantial distance beyond the edge of the opening, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to the portion of the insole outwardly of the lip with adhesive and to the lip with fastenings which will hold the upper in lasted relation while the cement sets, thereafter trimming off the lip and the marginal portion of the upper, attaching the outsole to the shoe bottom, and removing the temporary reinforcing member.

10. That improvement in methods of manufacturing shoes which comprises splitting an insole and an outsole from a sole blank by a out which at the forepart intersects the edge of the sole blank between its opposite surfaces and which is inclined so as to emerge at the inner surface of the forepart of the sole blank at a distance from the edge thereof not less than the width of the normal lasting allowance of a shoe upper thereby forming an outsole and a skeleton insole with an opening in its forepart, stitching a strip of material to the outer surface of the skeleton insole by a seam extending peripherally of the insole, the strip of material being stitched to the outer surface of the insole at such a distance from its edge as to provide a lip against which the upper of a shoe may be lasted, and by the same stitching securing to the opposite surface of the insole a temporary reinforcing member which covers the opening in the insole and extends a substantial distance beyond the edge of the opening, assembling the insole and a shoe upper on a last, working the upper into lasted relation to the insole and securing it to the portion of the insole outwardly of the lip with adhesive and to the lip with fastenings which will hold the upper in lasted relation while the cement sets thereafter trimming off the lip and the marginal portion of the upper by a out which severs the stiches by which the lip and the reinforcing material are secured to the insole, attaching the outsole to the shoe bottom, and removing the reinforcing member.

GEORGE H. NICHOLS. 

